Gallery Talk Plus: Whitfield Lovell: Passages

Saturday, April 13, 2024 from 1–3 p.m.

Reservations required.  
Members: $10 
General public: $20 

Join us for a unique experience inside the exhibition Whitfield Lovell: Passages and explore a selection of Lovell’s artwork through an interactive discussion, facilitated by Ryan Leary, with exclusive poetry and spoken word performances by Leary and Tri-State area artists Laura Wize, Camille Jones, and SoL. Lovell urges viewers to contemplate the ordinary lives and extraordinary journeys of the African American experience. What clues can the individual faces of the past, as depicted in Lovell’s art, tell us about their life stories? What happens when we imagine these narratives through stanza, prose, passion, fear, and uncertainty?  

About the Artists: 

Ryan Leary 
Ryan Nichole Leary is a visual artist/historian/educator and Cincinnati native dedicated to educating, sharing, and celebrating the narratives of people who are part of the African Diaspora. Leary works as a visual artist, specializing in portraits, lectures on art history at local institutions, and blends her love for creativity and activism in her work. She describes her work as “Obnoxiously Large, Unapologetically Black." It is through Leary’s artwork, lectures, and teachings that she hopes to correct false narratives and celebrate the brilliance of the Diaspora. Learn more about her work at ryannicholestudios.com. 

Laura Wize 
Laura Wize, a dynamic poet and creative force hailing from Cincinnati fearlessly advocates for the transformative power of words. As a curator and community organizer, she co-founded the Southern Ohio Minority Artist Alliance and plays a pivotal role at Duwaup's Cincinnati Poetry Slam. Her poetry beautifully captures the experiences of Black women in America, resonating across various platforms. Bougie Bitch Poetry, released in September 2022, solidifies Laura's position among influential Black women authors, showcasing her distinct voice with flair and depth. Laura's journey is a testament to empowerment and inspiration. Explore more about Laura at ohwizeone.com and bougiebitchpoetry.com. 

Camille Jones 
Camille Jones is a Cincinnati native, writer, dancer, choreographer, and book lover, and considers herself a film nerd. As a University of Cincinnati dual-degree graduate, Jones earned both a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing.  She hosts the Always for the Culture podcast—an Elementz Hip Hop Cultural Art Center series, sponsored by the United Way. Jones also devotes her time to making a positive impact on growth and confidence building in youth and adults through her co-founded, black-women-led Hip Hop street dance team, (CA)^2 (CEE-AY-Squared), an acronym for confidently creating active achievers. Beyond creative career achievement, she works to be an ally and proponent of the arts as a means for social reform while working collaboratively with artists to amplify the voices of Cincinnati. Learn more about Camille Jones at boldjourney.com/news/meet-camille-jones-2. 

SoL 
SoL is a poet, writer, emcee, and musician from Cincinnati. He lives up to his name, which means "sun" in Spanish, by being a light in the room on the many stages he has graced over the years. With impassioned performances of rap and spoken word, SoL expresses his story of adversities, triumphs, and the small details between. He is backed with a flow equivalent of a wind instrument, empowered delivery, and unique writing style fueled by years of consistency. His performance credentials include the Wine & Jazz Affair series, Perfect Verse Spoken Word + Poetry Night at Nostalgia, SpokenWordSoul at The Greenwich, Cincinnati Poetry Slam, Price Hill Will, and the Paul Laurence Dunbar: A Sesquicentennial Celebration at The Victoria Theatre to name a few. He is currently preparing the release of numerous solo efforts in the Hip-Hop, Poetry, and Blogging realm this year, as well as coproducing The Daisies & Roses poetry collection along with Audra D. The Poetess in support of the The Dunbar 150 Project coming this fall. https://composedinsol.wixsite.com/composedinsol 

image credit: Whitfield Lovell (American, b. Bronx, NY), Deep River, 2013, Fifty-six wooden discs, found objects, soil, video projections, sound, Dimensions variable, Courtesy of American Federation of Arts, the artist, and DC Moore Gallery, New York

If you need accessibility accommodations, please contact us in advance at [email protected].